DANIEL CHAPTER SIX[Part 7] – By Bro. David Rice
DANIEL AND THE LION’S DEN
“Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee” (Daniel 6:16).
Chapter Six of Daniel contains the famous story of Daniel and the Den of Lions. Daniel was an aged man at the time. His early prominence in the Babylonian Empire of Nebuchadnezzar had faded into retirement, until he was recalled at the moment of crisis the night the empire fell to Cyrus and the Persian armies. Belshazzar in his last night, before he died, honoured Daniel for his explanation of the handwriting on the wall, thrusting Daniel again into public prominence. He had even received the “third place”[Dan. 5:29] in the kingdom — briefly.
Cyrus the Persian was evidently the same person as Darius the Mede [A](as explained in our previous issue). Daniel 6:1 opens with the record of him setting over the kingdom 120 princes “which should be over the whole kingdom” he had obtained by conquest.
A little more than 50 years later, in the reign of Xerxes, the Ahasuerus of the Book of Esther, the Persian Empire ruled 127 provinces (Esther 1:1). Perhaps during the intervening time, the expansion or reorganization of the empire augmented the divisions from 120 to 127 and the princes referred to in Daniel 6:1 were those responsible to account for the various provinces. This is only a supposition however.
Over the 120 princes were “three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage” (Daniel 6:2). Cyrus evidently saw the trustworthy character of Daniel, and realized the advantage of such a noble, wise, and experienced administrator. “Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm” (Daniel 6:3).
In this we are reminded of Joseph who was second only to Pharaoh in his authority over Egypt. Joseph was a picture of our Lord Jesus who is second only to Jehovah in his supreme authority. Daniel, however, is a picture of the Church, who will be second to Christ. Christ was pictured by Cyrus, the one “anointed” by Jehovah (see Isaiah 45:1).
CHARACTER THE CHIEF REQUIREMENT
Daniel’s wisdom and experience were valuable to the king, but his honesty and integrity were surely the qualities which allowed Cyrus to rely upon him with confidence. It is clear as the narrative unfolds that the other two presidents, and the princes under them, were of a base and ignoble character. Cyrus would have noted the difference.
Let us learn that the attribute which allows God to favour us as members of the Bride class who will rule the world with Christ during the Millennium, is our character. If we are honest, trustworthy, pure, then God can use us. If we are not honest, not trustworthy, not pure, then we cannot be trusted with such high dignity. Our abilities will be magnified through our glorification to the divine plane. But our integrity is developed here in this life.
JEALOUSY AT THE ROOT
Daniel’s exaltation stirred jealousy in the others. Probably this was augmented by the inability of the others to secure unjust gain from their positions, because of Daniel’s oversight. If the others had been just and honest men, they would have appreciated the oversight of someone like Daniel. Honest men appreciate other honest men — even if they have differences. An honest man does not conspire against another honest man.
Daniel had the advantage of the principles of the Divine Law which he cherished and followed from the days of his youth. The others, his heathen associates, had not this advantage. But even with that considered, they fell short of the nobility which history seems to accord to Cyrus.
They realized that to find fault with Daniel they would have to find it with his religious convictions and practice, which were resolute and dependable. They laid the trap with flatteries to the king, but their agenda was against Daniel. A decree was secured from the king that no one could “petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king” (Daniel 6:7).
Cyrus was partial to religious liberty, but this relatively brief period for his newly acquired dominion to thus honour him seemed to him innocuous[or harmless] enough. Had he thought more deeply, he might have recognized how much this would try men of conscience — as it did Daniel.
Daniel might have reasoned that he could pray secretly for the next month. Even Jesus advised us to be private in our devotions, so as not to appear proud for our piety (Matthew 6:6). Surely this option would have crossed the mind of Daniel, as it would most people of Christian faith and conscience today. Had Daniel chosen this way, he would have escaped the immediate danger.
When tests of conscience come to us, as they necessarily do from time to time, we might choose a moderate approach without outward disturbance or exhibition, seeking inwardly to be obedient. This has its virtue. It reminds us of the course Daniel and his three companions did chose early in their captivity as they determined not to eat the king’s meat, but proposed a reasonable vegetarian diet to their captor which pleasantly resolved the concern for everyone. They were firm, but did not display an adamant or obstreperous[or disorderly] spirit a good example for us.
But Daniel saw this case differently. He knew the motive. He knew the plot. He knew his enemies. Daniel judged that to change his innocent and devoted procedure would be yielding principle. So he did as usual. He opened his windows toward Jerusalem, kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God (Daniel 6:10). The testimony of his meek but faithful conduct has been a record of encouragement to God’s people ever since.
Daniel in the Den of Lions
THE KING MADE AWARE
The accusers were swift to inform the king of the transgression — for this was the very purpose of their plan. “An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,” this does God hate (Proverbs 6:16, 18). When the accusers appeared before the king, he began to grasp the whole situation. He was first displeased with himself, for he had no real intent to place a burden upon such a noble conscience as he knew Daniel to have. He had been caught up in the moment, seductively, and now regretted it thoroughly. “He laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver” Daniel, but even the king could not void the signed decree, according to the custom of his people and his time — as the accusers pointedly reminded him (Daniel 6:14, 15).
Cyrus proceeded with his duty. But his personal anxiety is shown by passing a sleepless night without food or the customary pleasantry of music. He rose early in the morning, anxious to see if his encouragement to Daniel, “Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee” (Daniel 6:16) proved true. It did!
With joy he heard Daniel’s reply, “My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths … forasmuch as before him innocence was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. Then was the king exceeding glad for him” (Daniel 6:22-23).
The law was satisfied. Daniel had been committed to the den; now he could be retrieved from it. His accusers and their families were cast in, and the hungry lions made quick work of them. This was not at Daniel’s command, but the king’s command. But Daniel must have thanked God deeply for the reversal of matters, which thereafter allowed Daniel to serve the king without the constant association of his former accusers. All of them will be restored in the kingdom of course, along with the remainder of the world. Their everlasting prospects were not injured by the king’s punishment.
THE KING’S NEW COMMAND
Cyrus then followed the example of his predecessor Nebuchadnezzar in honouring the God of Daniel. Daniel must have remembered the former occasions, and taken delight in seeing the unfolding providence of God whereby Daniel’s sore distress was turned to an honour to Jehovah.
“I make a decree, that in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and steadfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end” (Daniel 6:26).
“So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, even in the reign of Cyrus the Persian” (verse 28).
THE CONSEQUENCES
As this experience occurred early after the transition of the kingdom to Darius (Cyrus), and he had now executed a decree that Jehovah should be honoured throughout his realm, this may well have been the predicate for the decree of Cyrus to rebuild Jehovah’s temple at Jerusalem.
That decree was issued in the “first year of Cyrus king of Persia”. That first regnal year of Cyrus began in the spring of 538 BC. Probably the episode of Daniel and the Lion’s Den occurred during the accession year of Cyrus, between October 539 BC when Babylon fell and Cyrus rode into Babylon in triumph, and the spring of the following year. This would explain why the decree did not follow more immediately upon the fall of Babylon.
Additionally, it is likely Daniel had something to do with the issuing of the decree, because there was information about the temple, in the decree, which indicated a knowledge of various details about how the structure should be rebuilt. Daniel would have known about such things from the memory of his young years, and from consultation with other Jews of the captivity about their knowledge and remembrance.
The decree as found in Ezra 1:1-4 (and 2 Chronicles 36:22, 23) is comparatively brief. It is but an extract of the whole. This is apparent from the later record of Ezra. When the Jews returned to Israel, they re-laid the foundation of the temple in the year following that would be 537 BC, in the spring of the year (Ezra 3:8). The initial work brought joy to the returnees, although the older ones who remembered the glory of the first temple wept at the comparison (Ezra 3:11-13).
But soon the enemies of Israel sent accusations back to the king and the work ceased (Ezra 4:1, 24). Ezra 5:1 then records the resumption of the work in the 2nd year of Darius Hystaspes, king of Persia (not to be confused with Darius the Mede). That would be the year 520 BC. When this work resumed, the enemies of Israel tried to stop it again, but the Israelites insisted they had a right by virtue of Cyrus’ original decree. King Darius commanded a search be made, and “there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written” … (Ezra 6:1).
What follows is the original decree of Cyrus, but verses 3, 4, 5 include in this decree a variety of specifics about the construction of the temple and the resumption of the offerings which are not recited in the summary of the decree given in the opening verses of Ezra.
DANIEL AS PICTURE
The sixth chapter of Daniel draws to a close the narrative portion of Daniel’s record. The next six chapters comprise the prophetic section.
As a picture or illustration of greater things in the Divine Plan, Daniel represents the Church during the Gospel Age, subject to the will of the powers of this world.
The enemies of the Church in Revelation are depicted graphically and symbolically as the Dragon (political power), Beast (Papacy) and Two-Horned Beast (Church of England and Ireland). You will find these mentioned from chapter 12 forward in Revelation. The interpretation we give is the same as the interpretation given in Volume Four of Studies in the Scriptures, in the 1912 foreword, by Pastor Russell — and broadly embraced by students of prophecy among the Bible Student Fellowship.
These three enemies are depicted symbolically in the first six chapters of Daniel, in the same sequence as they are introduced in Revelation. Daniel chapter one speaks of 10 days of trial in captivity, representing 10 years of severe persecution of the early Church by Pagan Rome — political power (Revelation 2:10).
Daniel chapter two speaks of the image of Gentile governments which become mixed with the “clay” of religious authority. This amalgam became Papacy, which ruled Europe during the Dark Ages.
Daniel chapter three speaks of a statue, 60 x 6 cubits, a small image of the 666 designation for Papacy in Revelation 13:18. That image was a product of the two-horned beast of Revelation, which represents the Church of England (and Ireland).
The next three chapters — four, five, six — show the demise of these institutions. Chapter four records the insanity of Nebuchadnezzar for “seven times,” representing the rule of gentile kingdoms for 2520 years, ending in 1914 when the kings ruling Christendom were shaken of their power during World War I. This was the beginning of the end for the dragon, political power.
Chapter five records the fall of Babylon — which Revelation uses as a symbol of Papacy. (Revelation 17:5 is very pointed on this.)
Chapter six speaks of two enemies of Daniel, the two presidents who conspired against Daniel. This conspiracy of two parties reminds us of the two-horned power, the Church of England and Ireland, which burned a number of Christian martyrs in years past. Chapter six ends in the demise of these conspirators, just as Revelation 19:20 depicts the demise of this two-horned false prophet at the advent of the Millennium.
Daniel and his three Hebrew companions represent the Church through the Gospel Age facing the persecutions of these institutions. We are thankful that we have arrived at that point in God’s Plan that these institutions have their powers curtailed, pending their collapse in the seventh plague (Revelation 16:17-21).
Meanwhile the Church are being gathered one by one to be with Christ in glory. When the Church is complete, then the blessed Millennium will bring life to all people. The world will gradually recognize, and then appreciate, the opportunity for everlasting life on Earth.
– By Br. David Rice – From Faithbuilders Fellowship, July, August 2006.
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